Chapter 85: We Are the Good Guys
At the TV Broadcast Hall.
Feng Weiwei glanced down at her phone when the cameras weren’t on her. A smug smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
"Pleasure doing business."
She had only made her move after discovering that the so-called "Moon Goddess" was actually Shen Xi.
Of course, she hadn’t gotten her hands dirty herself. She had no direct involvement, no risks, no loose ends.
No matter what Shen Xi chose to do, the outcome would work in their favor.
If she didn’t go to save Su Kexin? Perfect.
The internet would soon explode with proof that Shen Xi had abandoned her kidnapped friend just to chase fame.
She could already picture the headlines:
"Cold-hearted woman turns her back on kidnapped friend, just for a moment in the spotlight!"
Even if the public didn't tear her apart, Gu Hanling surely wouldn't tolerate such a selfish, ruthless wife. He’d divorce her and throw her out with nothing.
And if she did go? Even better.
She’d stand up millions of viewers, cause a live broadcast disaster, and ruin her career. The entertainment industry had no room for a woman who couldn't be professional.
And really, what could a young woman in her early twenties even do in a hostage situation?
If it were her in Shen Xi’s shoes, she'd be too terrified to even stand, let alone fight back.
She’d have no choice but to obey the kidnappers.
And Jiang Bailang? He was clearly interested in Shen Xi.
If everything went according to plan, that woman would soon be used and discarded, tainted beyond repair.
Feng Weiwei leaned back in her chair, already looking forward to tomorrow’s headlines.
……………………………………
At the Abandoned Building.
Su Kexin let out muffled cries, her voice trembling with panic.
"Mmmph! Mmmph!"
Her wide, tear-filled eyes locked onto Shen Xi as she frantically shook her head.
The cloth gag pressed against her mouth, muffling her voice, while the sharp blade against her neck cut into her delicate skin.
A thin line of red beaded along the edge.
Shen Xi's heart tightened, but her voice remained calm and steady.
"Alright. I'll stay."
She paused for a moment. Then she looked straight into Keke’s eyes and spoke again.
"Trust me."
It was as if she was speaking to Keke, but at the same time, it felt like her words were meant for someone else.
"I'll take her place as your hostage."
At that moment, Shen Zekai stepped forward, blocking her path. His eyes burned with anger as he glared at Jiang Bailang.
Jiang was stunned for a second, then suddenly burst into manic laughter.
"Hahaha! You’re crazier than I am!"
He laughed so hard he nearly doubled over, as if he'd just heard the funniest joke in the world.
"What the hell am I supposed to do with a little punk like you? You think I’m into guys?"
Shen Zekai's face darkened, his fists clenching so tightly his knuckles turned white.
If it weren’t for Keke being in Jiang Bailang’s hands, he would have already charged forward and stabbed the bastard to death.
And he definitely would have done it.
After all, in the original timeline, he had followed Shen Xi’s every order without question, and that had landed him in prison for life.
Shen Xi patted Zekai’s arm, signaling him with a glance at the black bags.
He understood immediately. He placed the two heavy bags on the ground and unzipped them.
Inside, stacks of red banknotes gleamed under the dim light, along with gold and silver jewelry.
"Brother Jiang, everything is here. Let Keke go, and I’ll come to you right now."
Her voice was soft and gentle, her delicate expression unwavering as she slowly moved closer. Jiang Bailang’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
His long-awaited beauty was finally walking toward him, and his focus was split between her and the bags full of cash and jewels at his feet.
His grip loosened, just a little.
The moment Su Kexin was freed, her legs nearly gave out beneath her. She forced herself to stand, stumbling toward Shen Zekai as fast as she could.
Now, Shen Xi was only two meters away from them. Her gaze turned ice-cold in an instant. She seized the opportunity, lunged forward, and grabbed Keke in her arms.
At the same time, she let go of her phone, making sure the flashlight stayed on, illuminating the surroundings.
Then, she retreated fast.
Jiang Bailang finally snapped out of his daze. His face twisted with rage as he raised his knife, ready to charge after them.
BANG!
The gunshot echoed through the building.
CLANG!
The knife clattered to the ground. From above, dark figures suddenly descended. Special forces officers, fully armed, sliding down ropes like warriors from the sky.
In seconds, Jiang Bailang was pinned to the ground.
"Don't move! Police!"
Jiang Bailang’s face was slammed against the ground, but he was still cursing like a madman.
"You b*tch! You actually called the cops?! You dare trick me?!"
Shen Xi held onto Keke, retreating to a safe distance. She looked down at Jiang Bailang and suddenly burst into laughter.
"Pfft~"
"We’re 'good people', why wouldn’t we call the police? Only an idiot wouldn’t."
In stories, people always avoided calling the cops, and Shen Xi had always thought that was ridiculous when reading those novels.
Now that she was actually living as the so-called 'villainess', she finally understood why.
In the original storyline, she was guilty of all sorts of crimes, so calling the police would have only gotten her arrested too.
But this time? Shen Xi had done nothing illegal.
She wasn’t fighting for power or status, and her hands were clean. Shen Zekai also had already served his punishment and was out of detention. The three of them were now just ordinary, law-abiding citizens.
On the abandoned building's plaza, red and blue police lights flashed, illuminating everything.
Jiang Bailang was handcuffed and shoved into a police car, still laughing like a lunatic.
"Miss Shen…"
An older police officer in a white shirt walked over, shaking his head.
"I must’ve been crazy to approve your plan. If something had gone wrong, I wouldn't know how to explain it to your husband."
"…Huh???"
Hearing the words "your husband", Shen Xi nearly choked on her own saliva. Only now did she realize just how powerful the man at home really was. Even the police force…
Ahem. Better not say it.
She let out an awkward laugh, putting on her best innocent and obedient expression.
"Thank you, Uncle Officer! I know I was wrong this time…"
(But next time, I’d still dare.)
The officer nodded, saying nothing more before turning away to handle the aftermath.
At that moment, reporters from Su City TV rushed to the scene.
Originally, they had come to cover a kidnapping case, but when they realized the victim was Shen Xi, excitement instantly filled the air.
When Director Chen got the news, he froze on the spot.
"What?! Shen Xi was at the kidnapping scene? As a victim?!"
Right now, the internet was boiling over, and people were already labeling her as a "diva," "irresponsible," and "coward."
As the wife of President Gu, Shen Xi’s reputation couldn’t be ruined on his show.
If President Gu found out, he’d be in serious trouble.
"I got it!" (°∀°)b
Director Chen slapped his thigh, suddenly coming up with a brilliant idea.
"Huh?? Sing here? Right now??"
Shen Xi was completely dumbfounded. Singing in front of a bunch of police officers?
At a crime scene? That felt… uh…
"Yes. The competition is almost over. If you withdraw, you’ll have no results, but this will shut up all those online trolls."
The reporter nodded confidently. The broadcast van was fully equipped, so it could be turned into a temporary mini-concert.
"Sister Xixi, just do it. I feel like this whole thing wasn’t simple. It was probably targeting you."
Keke, who was still getting her wounds bandaged, looked at Shen Xi guiltily. She felt like it was all her fault that Shen Xi had been dragged into this mess.
"Sister, don’t let those schemers get their way. I support you too!"
Shen Zekai grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. The reporters quickly set up their equipment, and the live broadcast signal was restored.
At first, the livestream chat was flooded with comments like "live broadcast fail," "diva attitude," and "ran away."
But then, the screen suddenly switched.
Shen Xi, without her usual mask, stood next to a police car, her beauty carrying a fragile yet striking aura.
Behind her, red and blue police lights flashed, casting an intense glow over the scene.
Su City TV’s livestream exploded.
"HOLY SH*T! What’s going on?! Who is this beauty?!"
"Is this a crime drama?!"
"You don’t get it. This is the MVP victory screen for the winning side!"